Our muscovy hen hatched out 18 ducklings on the 39th day of sitting on them. I have heard of muscovies hatching up to 20, but most nests are 12-15. She crushed one duckling because there were so many. Because we have had issues with predators in the past, I put the ducklings in a brooder. Our other ducks had laid a pile of eggs, so we divided them and stuck them under this duck hen and another broody duck hen. Both of them accepted the eggs and started sitting on them, so if all goes well, we will have more ducklings at the end of Sept. Sitting is very hard on a broody duck. They rarely get off the nest to eat or drink or poo, so they lose weight. We put food and water close to the nest to help the mother. I have put it in the box they are nesting in, but they just throw it out. They don't mind me checking on them or talking to them, but other than that, they want to be left alone to do their job.
